Rotary engine.



No. 647,7la. Patented Apnn, |900. D. M. DEARINILv ROTARY' ENGINE;

(Application filed July 11, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WW1/umm we Nuwms PETER: no. PHor'u-Lm-lo., wAsummcN. n. c.

No. 647,7I8. Patented Apr. l7,l900.

D. M, BEARING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application. Bled July 11, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

l Illllullll 3 m w W w No. 647,7ls. Patented Apr. |7, |900. D. M. DEARING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application iled July 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFIC.

DAVID M. DEARING, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO GUILFORD S.

WOOD, OF SAME PLACE, AND HENRY P. DEARING,l OF SANDSTONE,

MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATIONformng part of Letters Patent No. 647,718, dated April 17, 190. Application filed July l1, 1898. Serial No. 685,697. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID M. DEARING., a

citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to steam-engines,and more especially to that class thereof known as rotary; and the object of the same is to produce an improved pneurotary engine of this character, as will appear below.

To this endA the invention consists in a rotary engine constructed substantially as hereinafter described with provision for admitting air at a certain point in the stroke to admix with the steam and afterward for cutting off said steam to allow the mixed air and steam to expand;` and the invention further Vconsists in the details of mechanism and arrangement of parts by which this idea is carried out, more especially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-e- Figure l is a central vertical longitudinal section of the two connected members constituting this improved pneurotary engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the center of one of the members illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, Fig. 4 an end elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan view, of the yoke forming part of the valve-throwing mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of the support and its dog for moving said yoke. Fig. 7 is a diagram, partly in section, showing one arrangement of the valve for throwing either pair of outlets intolconnection with the main exhaust and simultaneously closing the other pair of outlets. Fig. 8 is a detail of the hand-lever for setting the yoke above mentioned. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the cut-off valves for one member and their heads which coperate with said yoke. Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective detail of a portion of the eccentric-frame, showing the adjustability of the dog-support thereon.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates the bed, by whichis supported the (preferably circular) end pieces or heads 6 6, having'hubs through which is journaled a main shaft 8. In the present instance I have shown my improved engine in two members arranged within a plurality of such casings end to end, and the main shaft continues through both of them and carries a main driving or balance wheel 18, from which power may be belted or geared to the machinery to be driven. However, it will be understood that a greater number might be mounted on this shaft without departing from the spirit of my invention, but any number more than one might be employed on this shaft, if desired. HowevelI consider two members thebest arrangement, and they are duplicates of each otherwith the exception that the cores hereinafter described are set in the two members at points directly opposite each other. Hence a description of one will suffice for both, except where reference is made to their joint action.

Within the casing and .on the shaft 8 is rigidly mounted the core 7, shown in Fig. 2 as truly cylindrical andset eccentric to said shaft so as to leave a steam-space 38, of crescent shape and the full width of the core, and at the point of its greatest radius is inserted packing 2l to coact with the interior face of the rim, and thus form the terminal point ofthe piston-head. In the heads 6 are set annular packing-rings 20, pressed inward by setscrews Oa or equivalents, so as to coact with the ends of the core and prevent escape of steam. The extremities of the piston-head may also have packing 22 for a like purpose, and a spring 22a A is here shown throwing eachV head outward, as is vused in some cases. However, these details form no essential part of the present invention.

9 designates the cylinder-head, here shown as mounted in an upright chamber 5 at the top of the rim. The inner end of the p head is preferably provided with packing 24 to coact with the periphery of the core-that is, making'complete connection between the cylinder-head and core, while the former travels always close to the latter but never touches it.

Adjacent suitable collars `13 on the shaft roo 6o Fig lf2. .Onithis .fro'd .fis l.mounted the' .eye'1122 offga yokelf12, whose `horizontal.portion basi floops 12b vpassing around therods 9,.as seen, g

and :whose Ipendent extremities .carrycross-1 the engine, :and the working faces of ithesel o'f thefcylinderdiead inisuch manner -that'itsface of the'core, and I will now describe one ssi Sits downwardmovement .buttturns Ipivotalljy 'nected with these eccentrics are suitable de- -suitable:.source. `The .upper ends .of these'l ,.inilt'heitop of .thefrim-chamber 'and connecti.

"rotation of fshaft"8.and eccentrics 11 'results' linthe reciprocation of 'the ahead' within lits .chambenat 5j ustsuch .tim esasfsh-alll eauseiits @ticking$24 .to always -coact uwith '.the active .fface fof the jcore. txi'cs .and their u.bands .'(the wearingipartsof fthis'lengine) areionithe Yexterior .of lit/he :icas-'1 ings.considerimportant, as 'it `renderslth'e'ir `replacement:or 1:adjustment extremelyieas y" :andgtheycanlbe ialwaysiwatched #and llu-bri-'j ;Howeverany othersuitable-mechanism:may bexused .inthis connect-ion and ,for this .pur-i ithe-vertical rreciprocatio.n of `the A.cylinder- -head airy :suitable v.mechanism :may be 1emp'leyed'fm effecting the horizontal Areciproproceed :.todescribe .one such construction, although iit `will Lbe .understood .that any -.jo'ther'3o1.m=of .devices .may be .used-'for .this purpose withoutfdeparting .from ,thefsp'irit-:of .fmlyinventiou fvappearlbelow.

Iinnerfacie's 1.2,"Lstandin g -truly parallel with? 8 are set eccentrics `1l, one at each end -Lof eccentrics stand absolutely parallel with the periphery or active face of the core. Convices for causing the vertical reciprocation packing 24 will alwaysicoa'c't With the active form of mechanism by which this is accom-v plished. Mounted on the bands su rrounding these eccentrics is a frame comprising rods( 1l, which are preferably double, as seen in v Fig. 10, up-tothe 1pivot"-11d,"whic"h connects their lower with their Aupper portions 11a, and the latter are preferably single rods pass-J ing .throughguides' 11h, rigidly supportedA from .the Lend :plates 56 .or :from Vany Aother single rodsarezin turn :connected '.by cross,

rods S1112, and 'from .the .latterfextend .rods 955i Y .leadingzdownward .through suitable packingV .ed mithlthe eylinder-head v.9, and `-hencethe.

The vfact that the eccen.

cated lfbygtlhe .engineer Without ,.dicultyg pose. y flniconnection .with @the devices {forzcausing cationaof Ithecut-.o'fivalves 10,.,and1 `.willinow 'withitsinose lfl'projecting.inwardand.itstail lfspendentand standing behind a stu'dld -,the isupport, 'whereby the nose Visirigidon lonxits'upwardmovement, alli'forapurpose toy 5 L14 gissabracket.supported inithetopdf thei riinf'chamber;and.sustaining=a `rod.12', as 1in arms 'provided with horizontal cam-.shaped each other and slightly oblique Vand with truly transverse horizontal and verticallyrounded outer faces 12X. 4In the top of the eye 12c is a slot 12d, engaged by the tip 151 of a hand-lever 15, having its pivotal support at l5 in the bracket 14, and the upper .partfor hand-leproper of this levercarries a dog or catc'h l5c of any suitableltype adapted to engage a toothed or ratchet plate v37', supported b y the bracket. `The purpose of these fdetailswill be described below, although they form no part of the present invention.

Fig.l 9 illustrates the cut-01T valve preferably'employed in connection YWith the de- "vicesabovejdescri'bed and which yin the present instance comprises twin parallel plates 10 10, connected,fas at l0dtoheads:l0, `which .latterlco'n-taet with the mam-:faces l2?, v above described :whileithegpl-ates l0 :move..horizon .tally fand .longitudinally through :suitable ways fin the rim-.chamber 4astride the cyliniderheadfjas `in ,F.g. 2. At-.properpointsin the .plates 1'0 l.arecu't inletszportslOtsand 10P,

each Vtwice .thewidthof the inlet-.ducthere- 4v.inafterulescribedand the outer `edge vof one n.port ystanding ina transverse .line with :the inner ,ed ge -:.of thefother.

The numeral26idesignates the uidein'let, .which -branches,:as -sat ,25, -and =leads .down- -ward ko'n1.opposite,-'sifdes ,of the cylinder-head V9, the cut-.off Nalve standingjacrosstheducts formed by isaid branches v25, Vasqseen finFig.

2. .28 `28 .are :,thetwo -outletfducta 1. preferf' ably ystanding outside ...the .finletsfas :also shown .in this fview, sand the .two pipes therefrom ,lead-upward and 'are .respectively coninected-at thesid'e'ssof Kthe .entire machine, Las

i .ati28%, with the corresponding.:outletsgofthe .othermemben (SeefFigJ.) .These sideiconvnectionsi28a are iin rtu r-:nxconn ected `bysacross- 1pipeJ2l8?, .withinlwhichfiis rlocated a valve28pc, of such shapelasito connecteither-sidepipe 5:28 with .the "main -exhaust `29 Vand simultaneously fclose 'the-tether cross-.piigie28b `therefrom, .thefexhaustth usbeing always .openion `one-:sideiofthe cylinder inieach-.Einem'ber of thisv..engine. 5 l A `Goming nowfmore,particularly toitheppres- '-,ent invention I i have shownfa't 553 5.3";in5Fig. vZarpair of air-)pipesleading Linto-t'he .chamber 55', withinzwhich the cylinder-head2) recipro- Gates, rand l.these Qairfp'ipesfhave check-valves fzfandaain rtheir bodies,.opening, .respectively, yinwardand outward. IIence asthe cylinder-.headis projectedv outward theflefti-valve 53"1L opensfand v.permits theintakeofairtothe chamber-so thatY novacuuin .is Aproduced thereinwwhile when .the Aicylinmlerfhead revfcedes with: a i.tendency .torcompressthefairin the. chamberfthe .lef t `Valve '53a closes -to .prevent the exitof theair fthroughthepipe 53, `and .the l right -valve53aa opens to gperinitthe ;air".beh indthe v.head vto `'pass ,through the -airpipe 53 tothe freeair, zresulting inthe :nature.offapumpingaction and .avoiding vacu- 4um `and `air-eushion, This View also Vshows IOO IIO

The operation of this pneurotary enginen Y is as follows: Assuming that steam is to be admitted to the left of the cylinder-head in Fig. 2 and that the right exhaust 2S in this View is open, and also that the same ad mission and exhaust take place in the complementary member as in Fig. 1,the piston-head 2lbeing at the top and the cylinder-head 9 having receded within the chamber 5', the former moves to the left, as indicated by the arrow, for about one-eighth of a revolution, during which time the narrow end of thecrescent-shaped space 38 between the active face of thecore and the interior face of the cylinder takes in air through the pipe 55 at the left automatically and in order to avoid avacuum. The eccentrics 11 at the left of Fig. 1 then move their frame downward, and the dogs 17 being properly set the nose 17a of oneof them acts on the outer rounded face 12X of the yoke 12 and causes its inner cam-face 12a to engage the head lOc of the cut-o valve, Fig. 9. The parts being properly timed and set, one of the plates 10 then moves so as to open the left inlet 25, and steam is admitted into the steam-space 38 in Fig. 2. This continues until the core is revolved for about a second oneeighth of a revolution, the pressure of the steam obviously passing out through the pipe 55 and closing the left check-valve 55a. At this time the eccentrics 11 move their frame so as to bring the opposite dog 17 of Fig. 1 into play, and the cut-off valve is so moved that the plate 10 cuts off the inlet of the steam, and it so remains cut off until the core makes two-eighths ofa complete revolution, (one-half revolution in all so far,) when the piston-head will stand at the bottom, as seen in Fig. 2. During all this time the right exhaust 28, which has been in communication with the right side of the space 38, prevents the formation of an air-cushion therein. If my preferred single exhaust 60 is not employed, this member of the engine makes its second half-revolution and carries the mixed and expanded steam and air around to the right side of the cylinder, where it exhausts through the duct 28; but if my single exhaust 60 is employed, as indicated in dotted lines, the mixed and expanded steam and air will pass out at the bottom of the cylinder, as is clear, the right exhaust 28 still serving the purpose of preventing the formation of an air-cushion. However, in either event it will be understood that while the core is making this second half of its revolution and is not taking steam through the inlet 25 precisely the same action as above described is taking place in the other or right-hand member in Fig. 1, and as the two members` are fast on the main shaft 8 there is consequently a constant application of power thereto.

If the above details are employed in connection with the main parts of the invention herein, the adjustability of the supports 16 and their dogs is for the purpose of effecting earlier' or later cutting on or off of the steam, as will be clear, for the lower each is set the quickeritsaction. Thus thi'sadjustmentproduces a longer or shorter use of steam under its full force, of steam under expansion, or both, as may be desired. Vhen two or more engines are used on a single shaft, greater power and perfect balance may thus be assured, and by proper adjustment the combined engine may be caused to work slowly and powerfully or with greater speed and no expansion, as the exigencies of the case may demand.

In order to reverse the direction of rotation,

it will obviously be necessary to move the valve 28c so as to close the outlets that were formerly open, and vice versa, and also to reset the dog-supports 16, so as to produce a" movement of each check-valve in such direction as to bring the other port therein across the right-hand inlet 25 at proper times. Opposite action then takes place or, rather, the same action in the opposite direction, and it will be obvious that intake of air will be through the other pipe 55.

I have said that the portslOf and l0b are twice as wide as the inlet-ducts with which they act and that the inner edge of one is in a transverse une with the outer edge of `the other. Obviously this arrangement is for the purpose of allowing the cut-off valves as a whole to still do their work'even after the en'- gine has been reversed. Supposing live steam to be passing inward through duct 25, which registers with port 10, the movement of the plates 10 will be such that the duct will stand over the left half of the port, as seen in Fig. 9, when open, and, the plate moving here to the right, the closed portion of thel plate at the left end of the port will stand across the duct when closed. Thus it will be seen that the cut-olf valve can move so as to open and close one inlet as necessary while keeping the other inlet always closed, and the various movements and degrees of movement of this plate are obviously controlled by setting the dogs 17 higher or lower on the frames 1la and by moving the yoke 12 longitudinally on the rod 12", so' as to bring other portions of its cam-faces 12a into contact with the heads 10C of the cut olf plate. This longitudinal movement of the yoke is obviously effected by disengaging the catch 15", Fig. 8, from the plate 37 and swinging the lever 15 on its pivot, and hence causing its tip 15, which engages the slot 121 of the eye 12C, to move the eye and IOO IIO

open exhaust at its bottom, a reciprocating cylinder-head in said chamber, an eccentric core within the casing, and a piston-head at its point of greatest radius, the cores in the two members being set diametrically opposite and mounted on a common shaft; of an inlet branched to each side of each cylinderhead, cut-olf valves across the inlets, means for closing the valves on corresponding sides of the two heads at will, and mechanism substantially as described for opening and closing the other valves so as to drive each core alternately with the other for part of a halfrevolution on live steam and for the balance of the half-revolution on the expansion thereof, as and for the purpose set forth.`

inwardly closing and outwardlyclosing check-valves in said pipes respectively, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID M. DEARING.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. GIBoNs, M. H. LLOYD. 

